


A Smoother Pebble

by goblinkore



Category: Hello From The Hallowoods (Podcast)
Genre: Polly Is Given A Rock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-17 09:00:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29590377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goblinkore/pseuds/goblinkore
Summary: "I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me." - Isaac NewtonArt by the ever talented Theo, who you can find on the discord server or on tumblr at eldriitchbones.tumblr.com
Relationships: Polly & Mort, Polly & Yaretzi, Polly & Yaretzi & Mort
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	A Smoother Pebble

**Author's Note:**

  * For [eldriitchbones](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=eldriitchbones).



The dark waters of the lake were lapping at the rocks, stones and sand lining the edges as Apollyon and his companions walked across the Hallowoods, undisturbed by their passing. The fading sunlight glinted from the metal hull of the giant that followed the two smaller figures that were silhouetted against the skyline as they travelled. 

Polly was on edge, after the excitement of the last few days he was allowing himself more caution than he was used to. He felt himself keeping his powers at his fingertips, an odd feeling as he didn’t have an umbrella in hand through which to channel any of it. He was aware that Mort was louder than he’d like the giant to have been, but he couldn’t muffle the noises without expending some of his precious resources. Yaretzi was padding behind him silently, barely even making an impression in the sand and stones. He was impressed by her ability to remain silent, maybe she could teach Mort something of her skills. 

He felt himself pulling ahead of the other two, and stopped to look back over his shoulder. The red giant had stopped walking and was peering at something on the ground, crouched down and so ungainly that Polly thought he might unbalance himself. He was annoyed that he hadn’t actually noticed the differences in the noises of the automaton’s joints. Polly glanced over at the wolf woman travelling with them, she was now just a few feet behind Polly and he stopped when he had. Mort was certain that she couldn’t go missing again if he was behind her so had begun bringing up the rear when they were travelling. She shrugged at Polly, reading the question on his face. 

Polly stepped forwards, coming level with Yaretzi, "Mort, what do you have there?" 

The giant straightened up, snapping to attention like a child who was being told off. His skull danced in the dome from the sudden movement. "Nothing..." 

"Mort." Polly's voice was stern, but not unkind. 

Mort sighed, turning to face the pair of them. He opened his fist and showed them both the pebble in his hand. "It's a rock..." 

Yaretzi raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. 

"I can see that," Polly nodded, it felt like he was talking to a child sometimes, "Why did you pick it up?" 

"It's smooth..." Mort seemed reluctant to answer. Polly let the answer hang in the air for a moment before Mort decided to finish, "And I thought, maybe, you'd like it?" 

Polly felt a stab of something in his chest, something he hadn't expected to feel. A warmth seeped through him. "Really?" 

He felt a glance from the wolf at his side, something akin to surprise. He tried to ignore it as he focused on the giant. 

Mort nodded, his skull bobbing in the dome. "It reminds me of you. Smooth." Mort took a step forward, the stone in the centre of his outstretched palm. “And it’s like at night, when you smoke. I like it.” 

Polly reached out and plucked it, the smooth stone had been worn by the waves of the lake. It was a simple grey rock that had a few white striations curling through the stone. He cleared his throat, a surprising amount of emotion overwhelming him at once, "Thank you Mort." 

"Do you like it, too?" 

Polly nodded, a smile coming unbidden to his face, "Yes, Mort. I do like it." 

"That's good," Mort nodded, the green in his eyes glowing slightly brighter, "We're friends." 

Polly wrapped his fingers around the stone and slipped it into his pocket, "Yes we are, Mort." 

“Good,” Mort nodded, “I like being friends with you.” 

“I like being friends with you, too, Mort.” Polly nodded, “But let’s not get distracted again, okay? We do have an important mission to do.” 

Mort nodded, the green glow in his eyes dimming a little bit, “Sorry, Polly.” 

Polly shook his head and smiled at Mort, “You don’t need to be sorry.” 

“Okay.” Mort said hesitantly, “But no more rocks?” 

“I guess if you see one you really like...” Polly felt that he was going to regret this answer as he was saying it, “If you tell me before you go and get it, you can get more rocks.” 

Mort seemed to glow brighter, the lights in his eyes shining and green. He nodded enthusiastically. “Okay! I found another one a little way back, can I get that?” 

Polly shook his head, “No, Mort, we can’t go back.” 

“Okay. But if I see one forward?” 

“If you ask me, yes, you can go and get it.” Polly said, hoping that this would mean Mort would wait for a response before dashing off to go and get the rocks that he would see in future. Something told him it wouldn’t, but that wouldn’t be the end of the world. 

Yaretzi had said nothing during this exchange, but she seemed to be looking at Apollyon with a hint of shock in her features. Polly did his best to ignore it. 

“Shall we keep going?” He asked with a flamboyant sweep of his hand. 

Mort nodded and began moving his body, Yaretzi simply turned on her heel and began walking forward. Polly found himself striding forwards, leading the three of them again. The rock in his pocket bouncing against his leg with each step. He’d have to find somewhere else to put it soon, but for now, the soft thudding made him feel good, and he didn’t feel good very often. 

**   
  


**

Polly found himself sitting a distance away from his slumbering companions, the rock turning in his hand absentmindedly as he drew in a deep breath of smoke and ash. He wasn’t sure what to make of this, the smooth stone was nothing special, but it had unlocked a feeling inside of him that he hadn’t felt in a long time, if ever. He wasn’t sure if it was the cold night air that sent a chill through him, or the knowledge that this change inside of him had put into motion consequences he wasn’t yet aware of. 

It seemed that he hadn’t been as aware of his surroundings as he usually was, Yaretzi was not asleep. Instead, she had uncurled herself from the nest that Mort had made for her in the stones and was padding over to him. He wasn’t as annoyed as he would have been if Mort had been the one to wake without his notice, the wolf’s silence was a skill he admired and respected. 

“You should be asleep,” he said, closing his fist around the rock and letting his hand hang from his knee. He was sat on a fallen log, sitting and looking over the small clearing in the trees that they’d found to sleep in for the night. 

“As should you, Apollyon.” Her voice had a soft growl to it, the wolf not quite extinguished from her soul just yet. He wasn’t sure if it ever would be, if he was honest. He found that he liked it about her; the vaguely doggish scent that made him aware of her presence when her silence wouldn’t had quickly become something of a comfort. 

Polly shook his head, “I can’t.” 

“You don’t need it?” She asked, settling into the stones at his feet, her back to the log he was sat on. Her shoulder brushed against his calf and she rested her head on the log, looking up at him. His face was thrown into stark relief by the moonlight that was lighting the night around the pair. 

"Not really.” 

There was a silence between them as Polly took another drag from his cigarette. He wasn’t sure why he liked them, but something about the taste kept him grounded, reminded him that he had this physical form. The cherry of his cigarette glowed red hot and white smoke blended with the air around his face. 

“He really thinks you’re his friend, you know.” Yaretzi said unprompted. 

Polly felt a twinge inside of his chest, something that could almost be called guilt. “I know.” 

“Don’t hurt him.” She said softly, “He cares for you.” 

Polly stopped himself from responding defensively, aware that Yaretzi would see through anything he was able to conjure up from the depths of his ability to bullshit. He took another drag from the cigarette and let the smoke drift from his half open mouth as he thought, “I am honestly not sure if I can do that.” 

“It’s easy.” Yaretzi shrugged, “Just don’t do it. Whatever your plan is, change it.” 

Polly shook his head, “It’s not that easy.” 

Yaretzi gave him a look he couldn’t decipher. She turned her face towards the moon and stared out over the lake, but said nothing. Apollyon, a devil who had never doubted himself before, felt the entire weight of every doubt he’d ever had crush him in an instant. 

His fist was wrapped around the rock that Mort had given him, but as his chest twisted inside of him, he gripped it so tightly he felt that he would be able to crush it. His throat closed up and he could feel nothing but the discomfort and shame bubbling inside of him. 

“Why does he trust me?” He found himself choking the words out. 

Yaretzi looked at him, her brows furrowed. “Have you given him a reason not to?” 

“No, but-” 

“But nothing,” Yaretzi shook her head like he was an idiot and this was the simplest thing in the world, “He trusts you because you’ve done nothing to make him think he can’t. Yet.” 

“Yet.” Polly said softly, the grip on the stone in his hand softening, “You think I will.” 

Yaretzi nodded, “Of course I do, I know your kind.” 

“And I, yours.” Polly laughed, feeling the bitterness he felt at himself coating the words he spat out. “You might be the only person left who knows what I’m capable of.” 

“That’s why I’m going to kill you.” Yaretzi gave him a flat look from her lazy position, certainty in every line of her face. “I can’t do this until you’ve completed your quest, so I will help you do that, but once you’ve finished it, I’ll kill you.” 

Polly nodded, finding his footing in the conversation again. This was familiar territory. “Even if it hurts him?” 

“Even if it hurts him.” She nodded grimly. “I never said I wouldn’t.” 

“It’s good to know I have someone I can rely on,” Polly laughed bitterly, “even if it means I’ll die.” 

Yaretzi reached over to Polly’s hand and took the cigarette from his fingers, taking a long drag on it herself before offering it back. He was surprised by how little distance was between them, realising now that the two of them had never been this close before. She was no longer a threat in his mind, even if she was going to kill him. He took his cigarette back and took another drag. Their fingers brushed and Polly realised how little touch this form had gotten since he’d begun his task, why was that? 

“Do you consider him a friend?” He asked. 

“Yes.” Yaretzi said, not looking at him. “He’s my friend.” 

“And me?” 

The question was left hanging in the air unanswered. He wasn’t sure what answer he had expected from her, honestly. 

“No,” She said, “Not yet.” 

“Not yet.” Polly mouthed the words, not quite speaking them. 

“Thank you, by the way.” She said, looking at him. Her eyes were dark in the moonlight. “For coming back for me.” 

“Mort asked me to.” He said, “He threw a tantrum, actually.” 

Yaretzi cracked a grin, the first of the evening. “He really has you wrapped around his claw, doesn’t he?” 

“I suppose you could say that.” Polly nodded, feeling for the first time a lightness as he acknowledged the feeling that he’d been studiously ignoring for the past several days. “I care for him.” 

“I can see that.” Yaretzi nodded, “It seems like a feeling you’re not used to.” 

Polly shrugged, letting the end of the cigarette burn out into the filter. “I guess not.” 

“Do you have other friends?” Yaretzi asked, “Ones I haven’t killed, I mean.” 

The question took Polly by surprise. He wasn’t sure why, but the answer was obvious. “No, and the people you’ve killed weren’t friends either. They were co-workers.” 

Yaretzi let out a low whistle, “He’s your first friend, Apollyon. That’s a heavy burden to carry.” 

Polly nodded, feeling the weight of the stone he had been gripping in his left hand. “Yes. Yes, it is.” 

The night was cool, the breeze that rustled the leaves on the trees danced across Polly’s skin. He felt his body shiver, an autonomous response to stimuli he remembered learning. He was tempted to pull another cigarette from the pack in his pocket, but instead he turned the stone in his hand over and looked at the ways the pattern drifted across the surface. It was a heavy burden to carry, friendship with a man like him, and Mort didn’t even know he was carrying it. 

Yaretzi leaned her head on his knee and yawned. “Wake me when we’re moving.” She said, another yawn finishing her sentence early. 

Polly looked down at her, she was so much smaller than he had expected from the descriptions of her. She seemed to be carrying her own burdens too, and she knew far more of his burdens than anyone else did. He wasn’t sure how he should feel about that. Although, he considered as he looked over at Mort who had slept through their entire exchange, maybe it wasn’t unusual for things to be different than he had expected them to be. 

** 

By morning, Yaretzi’s head and slipped from his knee and into her own chest as she’d curled herself into the foetal position, resting on her arm as a pillow. It had given Polly moments before sunrise to dust himself off and make a decision. With both of his companions asleep, he could disappear for a moment without raising any suspicion, he had two things he needed to do. 

He wandered almost to the water’s edge and muttered the familiar words, another request for resources, another bundle of paperwork he’d need to fill out when he returned to the office properly. If, of course, Yaretzi hadn’t killed him by then. He hadn’t envied Typhon for being in the physical realm for so long, but now he was starting to realise what the fool had enjoyed about it. 

The doorway opened before him with a woosh of air that was sucked into the space between this world and the one he was returning to. The edges of the doorway shimmered like the air was superheated, distorting the view of the lake and woods. He stepped through, leaving the Hallowoods behind in the blink of an eye. 

Polly had stepped into an office, bare except for a standard desk and chair, a pile of paperwork that rested on the ‘in’ tray and a plaque on the wall. The plaque had been one of his proudest achievements; Employee of the Month, it read. It wasn’t even an ornate thing, but it was hung on the wall behind his desk to that anyone speaking to him would know that he had earned it. 

The desk was a dark wood, almost black in the dim lights that lit the office. His chair, comfortable but not luxurious, was black leather. He realised how gloomy the room was, even though he had just come from the black of the Hallowoods. At least the woods had some natural light. 

With merely a thought and a wave of his hand, Polly rearranged the room, moving the desk to one side and setting a dark wood and glass cabinet against the wall. It matched the desk in colour. He added some lights along the bottom of the shelves to light the items he would put in there. Polly flipped the door open with one hand and slipped the other into his pocket, taking the smooth rock out and placing it on the shelf. 

“There,” he said to himself, “Now you won’t go missing.” 

Polly felt foolish talking out loud to himself, or the rock, but looking at it sent a little thrill through him. He turned back to the doorway he’d left open and stepped back into the Hallowoods. The air was slightly damp here, not like the climate-controlled office he’d just been in and it took him a second to adjust. 

Before him lay the camp that he had been forced to run from the night before, and there was someone waiting for him down there. He was going to go and find her if it was the last thing he did. Nobody took Apollyon’s umbrella. 

When he returned to his companions, Yaretzi opened one eye and peered at him, but said nothing. Her suspicion was the last thing he needed to think about at the moment, and riding on the high of having his umbrella back meant that he paid her no attention. Mort seemed to wake to the crunch of the stones under Polly’s feet, mimicking a yawn. 

“Good morning.” Polly gave a cheery greeting to both of them, “Shall we get on with today?” 

“More walking?” Yaretzi asked as she clambered to her feet. 

“Yep!” Polly grinned, leaning on his umbrella. 

Mort climbed to his feet, clutching the blanket he’d had wrapped around him in his hand, “More rocks?” 

“Only if you find a really good one.” Polly laughed. 

“I’ll find one.” Mort nodded, offering Polly the blanket back. 

Polly took it from him and folded it into his breast pocket where it disappeared. “You do that, Mort.” 

Yaretzi flung her blanket at Polly, who caught it and folded it away with the other. He pulled a packet of cigarettes, uncrumpled, from the same pocket and pulled a cigarette out. He lit the cigarette with a snap of his fingers and watched as the others prepared themselves for the walk. 

** 

It took Mort the best part of an hour before he saw another stone worth asking about, which consisted of him stopping abruptly and shouting to Polly that he’d found another stone. Polly wasn’t surprised. He and Yaretzi had been walking almost level with each other today, so both turned to look as Mort approached them with an outstretched palm. 

The stone itself wasn’t particularly smooth, but it was a dark stone that was likely grey when it was dry, but due to the water coating it, looked black with a streak of amber through the centre. 

“This one,” Mort said to Polly, “Isn’t for you, it’s for Yaretzi.” 

Polly nodded, amused that Mort felt the need to clarify this was specifically not for him, “Okay.” 

Yaretzi stared at the rock in Mort’s hand. She seemed unsure, nervous almost. Her ears, wolflike, began to twitch. “For me?” 

“It’s like your eyes.” Mort said, matter-of-factly. Polly had to agree, the stone did remind him of the almost amber shine that burned in Yaretzi’s eyes when she allowed herself to turn fully. He was surprised that Mort had paid that much attention, the giant didn’t seem to notice much of the things that mattered. Maybe he had an artist’s soul. 

“Thank you...” Yaretzi said, taking the stone from Mort’s hand, “It’s lovely.” 

She cradled the stone in her hand, barely covering the centre of her palm. It was tiny in Mort’s hand, but somehow seemed smaller in Yaretzi’s. Perhaps it was that everything looked small compared to Mort and Yarezti was closer to what Polly deemed a normal size. 

“Do you like it?” Mort asked, his voice quiet now. 

Yaretzi nodded, her voice was barely more than a growl as she said, “I do, thank you.” 

“Good.” Mort’s eyes glowed brighter again, “I’ll look for more.” 

** 

They had crossed into the forest proper when Mort next announced that he had found a stone, something that Polly was more annoyed about now that they were in the Hallowoods proper. He tried not to be annoyed as the giant lumbered forwards, something caught between his hand and his claw. 

Polly felt the crunch rather than heard it. Mort’s claw closed through the rock that he had been carrying, causing both parts to fall to the leaf-dusted ground as his feet. 

“Oh.” Mort’s voice sounded heartbroken. 

Polly looked at Yaretzi and almost as one they each dived to pick up one half of the broken rock. When he held his half in his hands, he realised it was some kind of petrified wood, split almost directly down the centre of the tree rings. He held half in his hands, and Yaretzi held the other half. 

“Wow Mort,” Yaretzi laughed, “We both got one this time!” 

“I broke it.” Mort’s voice was barely a whisper. “I didn’t mean to break it.” 

“It’s okay!” Polly said, holding his half up, “Now we both have one. It’s like art.” 

“Art?” Mort asked, confusion obvious in his tone. 

Polly glanced at Yaretzi, who shrugged. He scrambled for an answer, “Um, art... well, it’s... it’s something that makes you feel things. It’s beautiful sometimes, but it’s ugly sometimes too. It’s something that’s made and...” 

“It’s something that matters. Something that makes you feel things.” Yaretzi finished for him, “You made your first art, Mort.” 

“Art.” Mort rolled the word around his mouth. “I made art?” 

“Yes,” Polly smiled, “You did.” 

“I am art.” Mort announced, not quite grasping the words he was using. 

Polly didn’t feel his usual urge to correct the giant, instead just happy to nod along. “Yes, Mort, you are.” 

Yaretzi gave him a look that Polly felt meant ‘you’re a giant sap’, but he couldn’t be sure. She slipped her half of the wood into her pocket, and Polly did the same. They said nothing to each other, but turned to walk on through the woods. Polly felt his chest squeeze as he thought about the gifts he’d been receiving. Maybe he should tell Mort how much they mattered, someday. 

** 

That night came too soon, under the branches of the Hallowood’s trees the sun seemed to disappear in moments. The three of them came to a stop at the base of a particularly large tree, Mort curling up under the blanket that Polly handed him almost immediately. Yaretzi took a moment to wander the perimeter of their new campsite a few times, seeming to get herself acquainted with the space. 

“Do you mind waiting before you go to sleep?” Polly asked, “I need to... pop elsewhere for a moment.” 

Yaretzi nodded slowly, a small frown between her eyebrows. Polly stood up, umbrella in hand, and turned on his heel. 

“Apollyon?” Yaretzi called after him. 

He stopped and looked back, “Yes?” 

“Where did you get that umbrella from?” 

“I picked it up.” He shrugged. 

“You went back for it.” She sighed, “I didn’t want to ask while Mort was still awake. And you didn’t give me much time to ask this morning." 

“I did,” He nodded, “It’s important to me.” 

“You could have asked for help.” She said, “That was dangerous.” 

Polly didn’t know how to respond; he’d never had to consider if including others would benefit him before. “I will bare that in mind.” 

Yaretzi gave a frustrated grunt and turned from the conversation, excusing him to leave. Polly hoped that she thought he was excusing himself to go to the bathroom or something similar, he didn’t want to have to explain the office, or let her loose on everyone else there. 

He walked as far as he dared from the camp and muttered the familiar words, the door opening with the standard whoosh of air. He stepped through quickly, into the familiar office, and pulled the wood from his pocket. It looked fragile now, held in his long delicate fingers. It looked even more so under the bright light of the shelves, so he dimmed the lights on that level with a murmured word. 

With the wood settled in its own place on the shelves, he turned to leave. Yaretzi was stood behind him, peering into the room. Her ears twitching as she sniffed at the new smells. He hated that she could move so silently. 

“Not what I expected, Apollyon.” She gave him a grin, her eyes glinting with a mischievousness that he hadn’t seen in her yet. She caught a glimpse of what was behind him and raised herself on her tiptoes to look over his head, “Are you displaying the gifts you’re getting from Mort? You softie.” 

“No,” Polly attempted to stand between her and the shelves, “You really can’t be in here.” 

Yaretzi shook her head and stepped into the room proper. She looked over Polly’s head and smiled. “Could you store mine here?” 

“What?” 

“My gifts.” Yaretzi pulled them from her pockets, “I have a feeling we’ll both end up with a lot more than these, and I don’t want to lose any. It’d hurt Mort’s feelings.” 

“S-sure.” Polly opened the doors to the cabinet and stepped aside, letting Yaretzi arrange the stone she’d been gifted next to his own and the wooden fragment next to his. 

She closed the door and turned to him. “Not what I expected, bit boring actually.” 

“Well, I’m sorry my sense of style doesn’t extend all the way to the office. Can we go now?” He waved a hand at the open doorway, “We don’t want to leave Mort too long on his own.” 

“Mhmm,” Yaretzi raised an eyebrow with a smile, “That’s definitely why you want to leave.” 

“Yaretzi.” He tapped his umbrella on the floor. 

She held her hands up in surrender and walked through the door, “I’m going, I’m going.” 

“Good.” He followed her out, closing the door behind him as soon as he had stepped out of the office. “Let’s not talk about this again?” 

She nodded, “I won’t tell Mort, either.” 

“I appreciate that.” Polly nodded, “I don’t want to have to explain this to him.” 

“Sure.” Yaretzi quirked an eyebrow, “That’s why you don’t want to tell him.” 

“What does that mean?” Polly asked, as the pair of them returned to the campsite. 

Yaretzi shook her head, “You know what I mean by that.” 

Polly was afraid that he did know what she meant by that, and the thought lingered with him even as Yaretzi curled herself up in the roots of the tree that the trio had decided to camp by. He paused for a moment before he reached into his pocket and pulled the other blanket from within. 

Yaretzi flicked one ear in his direction as he approached, but seemed to be pleasantly surprised when she opened one eye and saw him holding the blanket out. Once he laid it over her, she wiggled in the dirt and let out a contented sigh. 

Polly got himself ready to watch the night pass as his companions slumbered, pulling a cigarette from his packet and lighting it with a finger. At least he had his umbrella with him tonight, that was an improvement over the night before. 

** 

“I didn’t know you snored.” Polly’s eyes opened and he was looking up at the wolfish features of Yaretzi. She was grinning at him, her face illuminated by the smile. “Don’t worry, I woke up when you started.” 

“I don’t snore.” Polly snapped, sitting upright. “Did I fall asleep?” 

“Yeah,” Yaretzi shrugged, “Like I said, I woke up when you started snoring, so don’t worry about it.” 

“I didn’t mean to.” Polly realised he had a blanket laid over him, “Sorry.” 

Yaretzi sighed, sitting back on her haunches. “It’s fine, Mort’s still asleep.” 

“That’s good, I suppose.” Polly nodded, pulling the blanket from his lap and folding it absentmindedly, “I didn’t mean to fall asleep; you shouldn’t have had to take over.” 

“That’s ok.” Yaretzi smiled, “Means I had time to find you this.” 

She held her hand out. Rested in her palm was a rock, glinting in the pale morning light. It was a piece of obsidian, the glassy shine to it reflecting his own shocked face. 

“Oh.” He hated that he wasn’t able to say more than that in the moment, but he felt his eyes burning in an unfamiliar way. 

“Shit,” Yaretzi muttered, “Are you okay?” 

Polly nodded, feeling hot tears streaking down his cheeks. He tugged his sleeve over his wrist and scrubbed his face. “Sorry,” He gasped, feeling the twisting in his chest that Mort had caused with the first rock, “It’s just a rock, I know. I’m sorry.” 

“You really never had any other friends, did you?” Yaretzi asked, voice barely more than a whisper. 

Polly shook his head mutely, struggling with the lump in his throat. 

“Okay.” Yaretzi took a deep breath and stood up. She offered her hand to Polly, who was still sat on the forest floor, “Let me help you show Mort you care about him.” 

Polly blinked at Yaretzi’s hand for a moment before taking it in the hand that was not holding the rock that she’d given him moments ago. She pulled him to his feet with ease, a little too much ease. He stumbled into her, but her solid frame kept them both upright. 

“Easy there.” She laughed, “You alright?” 

“Yeah,” Polly nodded, taking a step back from her, “Yeah I will be.” 

“Take a deep breath, and let’s look for a rock that Mort would like.” 

“What does that mean?” Polly asked, “I... I don’t know what to look for?” 

Yaretzi glanced around the immediate clearing and pointed at a stone, “See that?” 

“The smooth one?” Polly asked, looking at it, confused. 

“Yeah, remember what Mort said about the smooth one he gave you?” She was looking at him now, her eyebrow quirked in her signature style. 

Polly paused for a moment, remembering the smooth grey stone with the lighter striations that Mort had handed to him only a couple of days before. He remembered the way that Mort had seemed so shy before he had admitted what he was doing. The memory warmed his chest. “It reminded him of me.” 

“Does that one remind you of him?” 

Polly shook his head, “No, it doesn’t.” 

“Ok, so we’ll find you one that does.” Yaretzi led the pair of them from the clearing, “This is where I found your one, so you can take a while to look here if you want.” 

Polly shook his head, “I have a better idea.” 

The wolf features on Yaretzi’s face were more obvious in the semi-dark of the trees here, “Oh yeah?” 

“I think he’ll like this.” Polly said, taking a deep breath and preparing himself. He began to recite the words that would bring him exactly what he wanted, getting lost in the intricate rituals for creating and summoning. 

Yaretzi had backed away from him, not sure what was happening as the devil used his abilities freely for the first time around her. 

Polly opened his eyes and, nestled in his palm, was a stone that was the same green as Mort’s eyes, and another that was the same rich red as his casing. “I got you one, too.” 

He offered his palm out to Yaretzi who looked at the pair of rocks with suspicion that, if it was anyone but her, Polly would find unwarranted. Instead, it made perfect sense. She snatched the red one from his hand and peered at it. 

“These are... impressive.” She admitted, “Did you make them?” 

“In a way,” Polly nodded, “I redistributed existing- It doesn’t matter. I made them.” 

“We should go and give them to Mort, he should be waking up soon.” 

The pair walked back to the slumbering giant. The red chrome was hidden by the blanket, mostly, and when he was asleep there was no green glow to his eyes. Polly realised this must be what he looked like prior to being pulled from the silt and dirt at the bottom of the lake. Yaretzi kept her distance as Polly knelt beside him and gently shook him awake. “Mort?” 

Mort’s eyes opened, shining green light bathing Polly’s face. “Good morning, Polly.” 

“Morning, Mort.” 

“Should we get ready to go?” Mort asked, “I know we have a long way to go.” 

“Actually,” Polly stood up, “We have something for you.” 

Mort stood upright, his joints making noises that Polly wasn’t entirely sure were healthy. He’d need to give them a look sometime soon, just to make sure that nothing about Mort was going to break down any time soon. It would slow them down, Polly told himself, that was why he cared about it. 

The goliath tilted his head, “For me?” 

“Mhmm,” Polly stepped back and stood next to Yaretzi, “We thought you’d like these.” 

Yaretzi opened her palm and offered the rock at the same moment that Polly did, almost as though the action was rehearsed. Mort looked at both of their offered rocks and then to his own claw, then back to the rocks. 

“I can’t take them both.” 

Yaretzi laughed, “Oh you’re right. How about you look at this one first?” 

Mort nodded and took the red stone from her palm, bringing it right up to the glass of his dome. “This is like me.” 

Yaretzi made a noise in the back of her throat, but said nothing. Polly watched as Mort inspected the stone closely. Even his skull seemed to be smiling as he lowered his hand and looked at Yaretzi. 

He took a step forward and raised his claw. Yaretzi froze for a second as Mort wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. He bumped the top of her head with his dome and stepped back as gently as he could. 

“Thank... you.” 

Yaretzi nodded, a flush spreading across her cheeks. “You’re welcome, Mort.” 

“I have this for you,” Polly offered his stone now. 

Mort looked at it, the green in his eyes matched the stone perfectly. The dark water in the dome didn’t seem so dark as Mort’s glowing eyes brightened even more. “That’s like my eyes.” 

“Mhmm,” Polly nodded, “The same colour and everything.” 

Mort was silent for a moment, but held both of the stones in his palm. The shorter pair looked up at him as he thought, not sure what to say to him. He looked at the stones, sitting next to one another against the metal of his hand. He looked at the two stood in front of him. 

“This is art.” He said solemnly. 

Polly felt his chest tighten as the giant reached out to hug him with his clawed arm, his body was rigid and uptight but as the heavy weight of Mort’s arm reached around him, Polly found himself relaxing. Mort bumped his dome against Polly’s head and Polly realised what was happening, the giant was resting his head on top of Polly’s and holding him close. 

“Thank you, Polly.” 

“You’re welcome, Mort.” 

“You’re my friend.” Mort said as he pulled back from the hug, leaving Polly feeling uncomfortably exposed. 

“Of course.” Polly said with a smile on his face, “I am your friend.” 

“That’s good.” Mort nodded, looking again at the stones in his hand, “I like having friends.”

"I like being your friend." Polly smiled, "Are we ready to go?" 

Mort nodded slowly, "How long will we be friends?" 

Yaretzi shot a panicked look at Polly, who smiled and shrugged nonchalantly, "At least until the suns stop rising." 


End file.
